• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin B12 treatment in subacute combined degeneration (SCD) caused by nitrous oxide (N₂O) abuse. Methods: Relevant literature was accessed through PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and KoreaMed. All the literature that was relevant to human use of vitamin B12 treatment for SCD caused by N₂O abuse was included. Case reports were excluded if the treatment regimens were not precisely described. The literature search was conducted by two investigators during September 2019 for the final publication period. The languages of the publications were restricted to English and Korean. Results: Twenty-three published articles that contained 24 cases were included. Sixteen cases among them were treated with intramuscular vitamin B12 of 1 mg/day and the rest received different doses or routes. Although most cases described significant clinical improvements, one case showed no beneficial effect due to the patient's noncooperation. Another case showed adverse events, including spinal myoclonus, following vitamin B12 therapy. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 has been broadly used for the treatment of SCD caused by N₂O abuse. However, most of the relevant studies were case reports that reported various regimens of vitamin B12 administration. Further studies are needed to establish a standard regimen of vitamin B12 because the incidence of N₂O abuse may increase in South Korea.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.130-133
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• 2022

Several studies have reported a possible link between anti-aquaporin-4 antibody and vitamin B12 deficiency in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Bilaterally symmetric hyperintense signals on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the posterior columns, called the inverted V sign, are a characteristic feature of subacute combined degeneration associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. We report a patient with anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive NMOSD and an inverted V sign on MRI of the spinal cord and address the association between anti-aquaporin-4 antibody and functional vitamin B12 deficiency.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2021

Background: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic effects. However, neurological and psychiatric manifestations of N₂O abuse have been increasingly reported among Korean adults. The aim of this study was to demonstrate laboratory findings of N₂O abuse in Korean patients. Methods: Patients diagnosed with N₂O-induced neuropathy or myelopathy from August 2018 to December 2019 were enrolled. Their clinical presentations and laboratory and imaging findings were analyzed. Results: Sensory changes and limb weakness were present in nine of the enrolled patients. The laboratory findings revealed that seven patients had high homocysteine levels and five had high methylmalonic acid levels in their blood. Nerve conductions studies indicated that axonal neuropathy was present in four cases and longer F-wave and Hoffman's-reflex latencies were present in two cases. Signal changes in cervical spine imaging occurred in five patients, while two had normal results. Conclusions: Chronic N₂O abuse can cause neurological damage or psychiatric problems. Because N₂O is illegal for recreational use in Korea, patients tend to hide their history of use. Even though the spinal imaging results were normal, clinicians should consider the possibility of N₂O use, and further electrophysiological tests should be applied for precise evaluations.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 1982

113 patients with nodular goiter were studied cytologically by needle aspiration for differential diagnosis at the department of internal medicine, Chung Nam National University Hospital since October 1980 till July 1981, and the final diagnosis taken from biopsies were compared with the cytologic method on the 44 cases who received operation. The results were obtained as follows: 1. Among the 113 cases of total patients, male were 15 cases (13.3%) and female were 98 cases (86.7%) and the sex ratio (M:F) was 1 : 6.5. The peak age incidence was in the third decade followed by forth and second decades. 2. The findings of cytological diagnosis in 113 cases showed benign adenoma in 69 cases (61.1 %), Subacute and chronic thyroiditis in 22 cases(19.5%), papillary carcinoma in 15 cases (13.3%) and follicular carcinoma in 7 cases (6.2%), respectively, and 48 cases (69.6%) of the.adenomas and 2 cases(9.1%) of papillary carcinomas showed combined cystic degeneration of the nodules. 3. The diameter of the nodules by palpation revealed within $2\sim5cm$ in 88 cases (77.9%) out of 113 cases, below 2 cm in 17 cases and over 5cm in 8 cases and there were no significant relationship between the size of the nodule and disease entity. 4. The findings of thyroid scintigram using $^{131}I$ in 113 cases of nodular goiter showed "cold nodule" in 111 cases (98.2%) and normal scan (radioactivity) in 2 cases (1.8%) which showed adenoma in cytology and there was no cases with "hot nodule". 5. The thyroid functions of the 113 cases revealed as euthyroidism in 108 cases (95. 6%), hypothyroidism in 2 cases (1.8%) who showed chronic thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism in 3 cases (2.7%) in adenomas but there was no evidence that the nodules of the above 3 cases were the reason of hyperthyroidism. 6. In 44 operated cases, the histological diagnosis revealed 23 cases of adenoma out of 27 cases(85.2%) who were diagnosed as adenoma by cytology and 15 cases of malignancy out of 17 cases (88.2 %), and the overall diagnostic accuracy of aspiration cytology was 86.4 %.